Purgatory - my take, FWIW

[John Nixon]

A search through the archives reveals a fair amount of discussion about Ron Kern's Purgatory course in Noblesville, IN. Though it's a mere 20 minute drive from my house I had never made time to play it until yesterday. Rather than rehash a hole-by-hole snoozefest I'll just put forth a few of my general impressions.

First, I played in a very strong steady wind - 20ish mph, and a cool 50 degrees. The wind was also not from a typical, prevailing direction - so any guesses of mine as to how long, or short, the course plays are suspect.

Played from the white tees, which the scorecard puts at 6422 yards. That's pretty long for me, but not unreasonable. I thought the course played shorter than I expected. Fairway shaping seemed to have something to do with my getting more roll, as well as firmer conditions than I usually get on the overwatered Indy munis I usually play.

The bunkering, which seems to be controversial here whenever it comes up, didn't bother me at all. Seems to me a lot of it is intended as visual intimidation, though twice I did manage to end up in a bunker off the tee when I drove the ball just where I intended but discovered that my target was a little off. I attribute that to this being the first time seeing the course and trying to figure out where my drives needed to go.

Fairways are somewhat narrow, but given what is, to me, the penal nature of the design, not out of place. This isn't the course you play when you and your buds are looking for a relaxing way to kill 3 or 4 hours on a lazy afternoon. It's a strong test of your entire game; length, accuracy and short game.

The greens and green complexes are far superior to anything else of Ron's I've seen - chipping areas and ball collection areas with some swoopy greens. even with a lot of recent rain the greens were firm and unreceptive to longer approaches. But they were rolling very true.

I'd also like to remind everyone of something Ron posted here a while back about the course - one always hears about #13  - the 700 yard par 5. That was done entirely on the part of the owner - it wasn't part of Ron's orginal design. To me it's unnecessary, and seems unfairly gimmicky on a course that doesn't need the gimmick. It also doesn't need the whole "Purgatory" theme - it's just overdone, and lessens the focus where it should be - the course itself.

As a group I found the par 3s to be the most memorable - a good variety of approach options. Two of them, #3 and #7 allow a runup/ground approach, and #12 and #17 present a target from the air. Other holes I found most memorable were the par 4 #8 and #15.

It's not a course I will play for "fun", but look forward to playing it again as an examination of the state of my game.

[Nick Church]

I agree with your assessment.

When I lived in Fishers, I played Purgatory four times.

I broke 80 once, but that was beside the point.  The intention was always the same --- play something different, for the "challenge", and don't worry about score.  The course is imminently more fun without the expectation to match your individual handicap.

My favorite (& personal best) shot on the course is the approach to the tiered green on the 8th hole.  The green drops down to a lower back half.  With that flag position, the challenge is to negotiate the right amount of spin so that the shot will land on the front half and release down to the back half.  I pulled it off once and the gratification was exhilirating.  

[John Nixon]

My favorite (& personal best) shot on the course is the approach to the tiered green on the 8th hole.  The green drops down to a lower back half.  With that flag position, the challenge is to negotiate the right amount of spin so that the shot will land on the front half and release down to the back half.  I pulled it off once and the gratification was exhilirating.  

Well, I was completely clueless about that green until I'd left my approach short of the green, and then saw a waaaay up front pin and an abyss directly behind it       Of course I completey chickened out on my first little chip attempt and left it in the rough, again.  Next time I'll know to be nervous on my approach.

[Chris_Clouser]

John,

Glad you finally got to see the course.  Wish you had told me you were going to be out there.  I could have joined you.  Anyway, I think the greens there are as good as any that I have seen in the state.  

As for the complaints about the bunkering, that is usually done by those that have only seen the course in photos.  Something to remember is that this course was done in a style that was an homage of Mackenzie.  A perfect example is the view from the 16th tee and how the bunkers seem to work together to make you feel uneasy from the tee, when in fact the fairway is much wider than it appears.  

I love the par threes on the course, with the only minor flaw being the seventh with the angled green being alongside the water in what is almost a cliche these days.  But the green on the hole makes up for it.  The 3rd is a great version of the Redan concept.  12 is wonderful and 17 is a mimic of the great hole by Mackenzie at Cypress Point (15th).  

The only hole on the course I didn't really care for was the second.  The only other thing I could nitpick about is that I wonder how the course would feel if the nines were reversed.  I feel the first would be much better as a short par four in the middle of the round instead of the opening hole.  

Other holes I love on the course, beside the 8th which I think is the best, are the sixth, eleventh and fourteenth.  The course does truly test the entire game and for my taste is the best public in the state.  I can see why people say the Fort or Prairie View or Trophy Club.  But I think the supreme test of the four is Purgatory.  Of course that could be a little bit of hometown bias as well.

[John Nixon]

Sorry Chris - I thought about posting here over the weekend to see if anyone was interested but I wasn't sure I'd be able to play until Monday morning. We will eventually set up something later.

I'd agree about #1 being a good short par 4 in the middle of the round, but I'd hate to thereby face #10 as the opening hole.

I also liked #6, though that was one where I picked the wrong line off the tee, hit it on the line I wanted and ended up in a bunker. I think the string of 6, 7 and 8 is one of the stronger trios on the course.

One of my goals this season is to fill in the gaps in my central Indiana resume - Purgatory being one of them. Trophy Club and Prairie View are also on my list, and perhaps Rock Hollow. I'd be hard-pressed to rank Bear Slide, Purgatory and The Fort for the area publics. There's strengths to each.

[Matt_Ward]

John:

Read your take with keen interest.

I agree with you and agree with Ron Kern's original thinking -- the length of the 13th is way overboard and simply takes away the appropriate attention the rest of the course should get.

Purgatory is well done and if you play from the appropriate set of tees you can enjoy oneself without straining. Only the extremely skilled or idiotic attempt to play from the tips.

Chris C:

Have to say the State of Indiana has some of the best layout on land that is relatively dead flat. Purgatory and The Trophy Club are both first rate layouts and one any public golfer should avail oneself of when in the immediate neighborhood.

[Andy Ryall]

I played the course in 2003 and found it to be a fun and challenging track.  My only criticisms of the bunkering were the quantity of bunkers that were not remotely in play and I  bunker edgings that resembled jigsaw puzzle pieces, which lessened the illusion that they had been present prior to construction.

Overall, a very good course in an area saturated with other high quality public venues.